Ice cube release



Feb. 25, 1941. E. o. vxTs ICE CUBE RELEASE Filed May 25, 1938 Inventum"` EarI D VItS.

Fitt cm1-1E H5.

'Patented Feb. 25,` `19.41

UNITED STATES ICE CUBE RELEASE Earl 0. Vits, Manitowoc, Wis.,

num Goods Manufacturing Co.,

assignor to Alumi- Manitowoc,

Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin` Application May 26, 1938, Serial No. 210,178

3 Claims.

This invention pertains to -refrigerating apparatus, and'more particularly to improvements in grids for ice cube trays employed in household refrigerators;

To facilitate the removal of ice cubesfrom both the trays and grids, various mechanical means have ybeen resorted to for flexing or shifting the dividers of the grid. ,As far as is known, these have been found to be impractical for various reasons, such as excessive cost of manufacture, ineffective operation, mutilationof either the grids or trays during operation, and so on. One ofthe most serious objections to the present grids results `from the fact that they endeavor torelease all of the cubes in one operation, which ofl necessity requires considerable force, and exerts a great strain upon either the tray or grid.

The present invention has primarily for its object to overcome the foregoing objections by the provision of a grid provided with a detachable lever, utilizing a grid as a fulcrum in releasing the grid and cubes from the tray,` and then independently releasing pairs o f cubes between each set of dividers. i

Incidental to the foregoing, a more specific object of the present invention resides in the provision of means for utilizing the longitudinal partition vof the grid as a fulcrum for ia detachable lever, in both releasing the grid and cubes in the tray, and subsequently ejecting the cubesfrom the grid.

Inasmuch as aluminum, which has been found to be the most practical material from which to form grids, is exceedingly soft, and, therefore, easily deformed, a more specific object of the t present invention resides in attaching hardened projectionsto the grid for engagement by the releasing lever. 2 l

A `still further object resides in the application of the foregoing principles to a sectional grid, in which each section is pivotally connected to the adjacent section.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing are illustrated several forms of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the edges.

(Cl. 6ft-108.5)

best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a'grid constructed in accordance with one form of the present inven- 5 tion, parts being broken away and in section to more clearly illustrate structural features.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through a conventional ice tray, with the present invention positioned therein. v 10 Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation of a modined form of the present invention, parts being shown in section to more clearly illustrate structural features; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the releasing lever. 15

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, that form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a grid consisting of a plurality of individual dividers 5, each consisting of a central longitudinal plate 6, 20 and a transverse iin 1. The dividers may be cast or fabricated, preferably the latter, wherein the plates and fins are oppositelyslotted for reception of each other, and locked together by swedging or upsetting A,their intersecting edges in a con- 25 ventional manner.

As best shown in Figure 2, theslots in the longitudinal dividers 5 extend upwardly from their lower edges, while those in the transverse fins 1 project downwardly from their" upper 30 The advantage of the foregoing arrangement resides in the fact that any upward force ,exerted upon the longitudinal dividers 5 is.re-

ceived bythe body of the fins 1, and not the swedged or upset portions.

The longitudinal plate 6 ofeach divider is provided at its upper edge with an ear 8, overlapping the ear of the adjacent plate, and pivotally connected thereto by means of a shouldered upset stud 9, provided at its opposite ends with 40 projections l0. Here itmight be explained that inasmuch as aluminum, which is relatively soft, has been found to be the most practical material from which to form ice tray grids, and, therefore, the studs 9, upon which force is exerted in releasing the cubes, as will hereinafter described, are preferably formed of relatively hardened metal.

The end plates Il have their outer edges shaped to conform to the taper of the ends of the tray I2, while their upper edges extend over the bead I3 of the tray.

As best shown in Figure 2, a lever I4 is provided for releasing both the grid and cubes from the tray, and thereafter independently releasing num.

cubes from between each setof transverse fins.

The lever I4 is preferably stamped from sheetl material, and of channel formation. The lower ends of the channel sides I5 are provided with notches I8 for engagement. with the projections I0 of the studs 9. Below the'notches Il the sides I5 are flared outwardly to provide arcuate caml surfaces I 1.

In operation, the tray I 2 is lled with water lto.

a level slightly below the top of the tray, as indicated in Figure 2, and inasmuch as the projections I 0 of the pintles are spaced abovethe top projections I IJ and the top of the ice cubes to per@ mit the releasing lever I4 to be engaged with the projections I0, as illustrated in Figure 2. To release the cubes, the lever I4 is then forced downwardly to the position indicated in dotted lines, and due to the arcuate cam surfaces I'I on the lever, obviously a spreading action between the grid and ice cubes results. In that form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2, in which sections of the grid are pivotally connected together, the. r'st and second sections are necessarily raised, as shown in dotted lines, which, in/actual practice, releases the first four cubes. To progressively release the remaining cubes, the `lever I4 is merely shifted to the projections between successive sets of fins.

From the foregoing 'it will be apparent that a limited numberof cubes can be released with each operation, thus not only reducing the eii'ort re-l quired, but also conserving cubes.

In the simplified and preferred form ofthe present invention, as shown in' Figure 3, a single rigid longitudinal partition I8 is provided, instead of the hinged .plates 6 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The partition I8 is likewise slotted for reception of the transverse ns 1, which are slotted downwardly, the longitudinal partition and transverse ns being secured together in the manner heretofore described. Between the ns 'I the longitudinal partition I8 is provided at its upper edge with hardened studs I9 clinched to the partition, which is formed of relatively soft metal, such as alumi- In that form of the invention shown in Figure 3, the mode of operation is similar to that heretofore described, but the results are somewhat different, in that upon engaging the stud carried by thev end of the partition with the lever I4 the entire grid and ice cubes carried thereby are released from the tray. However, only the first two cubes are released from the grid. Thereafter each pair of cubes is released independently by shifting the lever to the adjacent stud.

From the foregoing explanation. considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, it willbe seen that a very emcient and practical grid"`=has beenprovided for'the quick release of ice cubes with minimum eiort, and no strainV Due to the fact that the forceexerted in releasing the grid and cubes is received by projections, preferably hardened pi-ns carried upon the tray.

by the central partition, practically noforce is exerted upon the ns, and, therefore, possibility,

of mutilating or deforming the grid is reduced to a minimum. `Also, due to the fact that in operation the releasing lever I4 must straddle the cen-v tral partition, and simultaneously release the cubes on both sides, there is no tendency to cant or spring either the. central partition or transverse ns.

Inasmuch as the projections engaged by the releasing handle are positioned centrally between the transverse fins, the present invention has'the added advantage of allowing insertion Vand rotation of the releasing lever in either. direction.4

I claim:

1. A grid for ice cube trays comprising. alon- Y gitudinal partitiona plurality of spaced transverse ns xedly carried by said partition to form ice cube compartments upon opposite'sides of said partition, lateral projections carried by said partition, and a lever for detachable engagement with said projections to engage and release the ice cubes upon rotation of said lever, said lever comprising a handle to straddle said partition and having its sides notched .adjacent the lower end of thehandle for reception of Isaidprojections and provided with arcuate cam surfaces for I engagementy with the top surfaces of the ice cubes.

2. A grid for ice cube trays comprising, a'pluf rality of sections each consistingof a longitudinal plate, a transverse fin carried thereby, pintles pivi otally connecting said longitudinal plates together and provided with end extensions, and -a lever for detachable engagement with said projections to engage and release ice cubes formed in the grid upon rotation of the handle.

3. A grid for ice cube trays comprising, a plurality of sections, each consisting of a longitudinal plate and a transverse nicarried thereby and formed of relatively soft'metal, hardened pintles pivotally connecting said longitudinal platesy and provided with end projections, and a.y leverY forV detachable engagement with said projections to engage and release the ice cubes formed in said grid upon rotation of the lever.

EARL O. VITS.- 

